The present invention relates to an intervertebral implant, and, more particularly, to an adjustable height intervertebral implant that preferably enables the user to adjust the height of the implant utilizing ratchet-type adjustment and screw-type adjustment.
Degenerative disc disease or degeneration of a vertebral body often results in a loss of disc height, which in turn can cause, inter alia, facet and nerve impingement. One standard of care is to replace the damaged intervertebral disc with an intervertebral implant or a damaged portion or an entire vertebral body with an intervertebral implant. That is, after removal of a damaged intervertebral disk, a damaged nucleus pulpous of an intervertebral disk or a damaged portion or entire vertebral body, an intervertebral implant is inserted into the intervertebral space of two neighboring vertebral bodies or into the space created by removal of portions of or the entire vertebral body. Preferably the intervertebral implant restores the spine as much as possible to a natural state, i.e. to restore the original height of the intervertebral disk and thus the original distance between the two neighboring vertebral bodies or vertebral bodes in various levels of the spine.